The Story of K

Once upon a time, there lived a girl called K. K was neither beautiful nor ugly. She wore her hair short, like a mop on her head. Though tall, K did not stand out from her peers. Sure, she was smart, but she carried this surly look of discontent on her face which made her friends wonder if she ever had an unpleasant childhood. 

K always felt envious of her friends, especially Lin the class Geography representative. To K, it was not fair that Lin was pretty, rich and popular. Lin was too perfect in K's eyes. Many people loved Lin as she was nice and humble too. Being friends with Lin made K resent her family even more. No one in the class knew that K's father was an abusive tailor and that her mother mistreated the kids at home. 

All K's insecurities were well hidden. Just like the witch's cloak K wore for the class' Halloween party. All K had to do was to be the top student, be the fastest runner in school; basically be the best so that no one would look down on her. In reality, no one ever did. But K constantly thought otherwise.

Luck had been kind to K. Despite her financial circumstances, K managed to graduate and become a doctor. K felt that she had been vindicated. She had proven to everyone that she was not useless. All the nurses listened to her. Her patients all loved her. 

"I got the best job in the world!" K said. 

While working in a clinic in Papua New Guinea, K met a Elise, a social worker. Elise was on a Raleigh expedition and dropped in at the clinic where K worked. A friendship began, one which Elise later regretted.


... to be continued ...